![community-event-Wildflower(KP)](https://chico.newsreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/community-event-WildflowerKP-678x381.jpg)
Charitable cause
FIRST Place: Butte Humane Society
13391 Garner Lane, 343-7917
Butte Humane Society is one of California’s oldest nonprofit organizations, providing humane care for dogs, cats, and other animals in our area since 1911. The organization offers a wide variety of services, including a veterinary clinic, pet placement, behavioral services and training resources, animal-assisted wellness visits, and an animal placement program. Butte Humane also helps low-income pet owners by offering a spaying clinic with low-cost options and a pantry stocked with pet food and supplies.
SECOND location: Chico Housing Action Team (CHAT)
125 Mission Ranch Blvd, 399-3965
THIRD Place: Domestic Violence Catalyst Services
330 Wall Street, Ste. 50 800 895-8476
Community event
FIRST place: Saturday Farmer’s Market
Second and Wall Streets, 893-3276
There’s no shortage of delicious locally grown produce and eclectic handmade goods at the Saturday Farmer’s Market, a Chico tradition and family event that draws throngs of people every week.
SECOND LOCATION: Wildflower Music Festival
Wildflower Open Classroom, 892-1676
THIRD Place (tie): Thursday Night Market
Downtown Chico, 345-6500
THIRD Place (tie): Woofstock
Butte Humane Society, 343-7917
farmer’s market vendor
FIRST Place: GRUB CSA Farm
11630 Dairy Road, 680-4543
GRUB Community Supported Agriculture aims to provide local and healthy food to the community. In addition to its presence at several farmers’ markets, the farm delivers fresh produce to local restaurants, offers a CSA membership program, and regularly donates produce to nonprofit organizations that serve the elderly, people with disabilities and homeless people.
SECOND LOCATION: Camina Bakery
caminabakery.com
THIRD PLACE: Burns Blossom Farm
burnsblossomfarm.com
Festival (Butte County)
FIRST Venue: Wildflower Music Festival
End of normal
It doesn’t get much better than The Brothers Comatose, John Craigie and Con Brio outside with food trucks, tons of kid-friendly activities and a huge cross-section of the community dancing in a grassy field (even if a quick downpour amortized part of the day this year). This was the first year (since pre-COVID) for the annual fundraiser for Wildflower Open Classroom.
SECOND LOCATION: Woofstock
Butte Humane Society
THIRD LOCATION: Oktoberfest
Sierra Nevada Brewery.
![](https://chico.newsreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Community-market-vendor-GRUB.png)
Golf course – Regional
FIRST place: Bidwell Park Golf Course
3199 Golf Course Road, 891-8417
Bidwell Park Golf Course is Chico’s public course, nestled at the mouth of Big Chico Creek Canyon. In addition to its 18 holes, the 103-year-old municipal course offers golf cart rentals, chipping greens, a pro shop and a clubhouse/restaurant.
SECOND location: Butte Creek Country Club
175 Estates Drive, 343-7979
THIRD Place: Canyon Oaks Country Club
999 Yosemite Drive, 343-2582
Instructor/Professor
FIRST Place: Sanjay Dev – Butte College
“Mathematics is my passion and music is my salvation,” says Sanjay Dev. As a beloved math teacher at Butte College, as well as host of popular reggae show ‘Devastation Sounds’ on KZFR, the Nepal native is living his dreams here and Chico loves him back. The same warmth and kindness that runs through the airwaves also influences his approach in class, making him a regular on Best of Chico.
SECOND Place: Neisa Schuler –
Northern State Ballet
THIRD PLACE: Christine Leistner –
Chico State
local personality
FIRST Place: Mike “G-Ride” Griffith
G-Ride Pedi-Cabin and Trolley
It’s impossible to miss Mike “G-Ride” Griffith and his rock pedicab as you venture through downtown Chico. This living legend of the best of Chico is known for her friendly attitude, her little dog and co-pilot Little G, and her dedication to the community, including helping raise funds and awareness for the Kristina Chesterman Memorial Foundation.
SECOND Place: Linda Watkins-Bennett
Presenter and producer of Action News Now
THIRD PLACE: Grand Master Farshad Azad
Azad Martial Arts
Place for family fun
FIRST location: Bidwell Park
chico.ca.us/bidwell-park
Bidwell Park is the boss! Its array of hiking, running and mountain biking trails, picnic areas and swimming pools are hard to beat. The 3,670-acre municipal refuge offers the whimsical Caper Acres playground, fishing at Horseshoe Lake, horseback riding opportunities, stargazing at the Chico Community Observatory, swimming at Sycamore Pool, many places picnic and barbecue sets perfect for birthday parties and other get-togethers, and decor. under the shady trees favoring quiet contemplation.
SECOND place: FunLand/Cal Skate Chico
2465 Carmichael Drive, 343-1601
THIRD Place: Rare Aerial Trampoline Park
1090 E. 20th Street, 433-5557
Place to pray/meditate
FIRST location: Bidwell Park
chico.ca.us/bidwell-park
See Place for family fun.
SECOND location: Chico Spiritual Life Center
14 Hillary Lane, 895-8395
THIRD Location: Bidwell Presbyterian Church
208 W. First Street, 343-1484
Radio station
FIRST PLACE: KZFR
90.1 FM, kzfr.org
KZFR is a community radio, and that’s probably why The Mighty Zephyr gets your votes every year. It’s been a platform for Butte County for 33 years with a variety of shows covering topics including public affairs, peace and social justice, environmental issues, local music and an eclectic range of music programming. themes, including jazz, reggae, Native Americans, folk. , Zydeco, Celtic and more. KZFR is also an active, non-profit participant in the community, promoting frequent gigs at the Chico Women’s Club.
SECOND Place: Z-Rock
106.7 FM, zrockfm.com
THIRD LOCATION: The Blaze
103.5FM, 1035theblaze.com
Teacher (K-12)
FIRST Place: Kate Carlisle – Sierra View Elementary School
Kate Carlisle, a fourth-grade teacher who inspires her students and their parents, earned top marks from Best of Chico voters.
SECOND Place: Margie Werner – Little Chico Creek Elementary School
THIRD Place: Colleen Taylor – Chico Jr. High
![](https://chico.newsreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/community-personality-Mike-G-859x1024.jpg)
Volunteer
FIRST Place: Tom McClain (aka Mr. Tom)
Science volunteer at Little Chico Creek Elementary School.
SECOND Place: Farshad Azad
Thanksgiving Basket Brigade, Gimme-Some-Sole Shoe Drive
THIRD Place (tie): Shelly Rogers
Extraordinary Animal Adoptive Mom; volunteer for Bidwell Wildlife Rehabilitation
THIRD Place (tie): Charles Withuhn
North State Shelter Team
youth organization
FIRST Place: Boys and Girls Clubs of the North Valley
601 Wall Street, 899-0335
The non-profit Boys and Girls Clubs of North Valley was founded in 1995 to “inspire and enable all young people to reach their full potential as responsible, productive and caring citizens.” Today, the organization serves more than 2,000 children and teens ages 6-18 at 10 sites in Butte and Glenn counties, providing a variety of educational and mentoring programs in areas such as education, health and well-being, and character and leadership.
SECOND location: Chico Area Recreation & Park District (CARD)
545 Vallombrosa Ave., 895-4711
THIRD PLACE: Youth for Change
260 Cohasset Road, Ste. 120, 877-1965, 877-8187
Click on here for more Best of Chico 2023.